The White House is briefing TikTok stars about the war in Ukraine
With millions getting their information about the war from the platform, the administration wants to get its message to top content creators.
By Taylor LorenzMarch 11, 2022Twitter is looking for younger users. It’s turning to the tech world’s teen savant to help find them.
Twitter has hired the tech world's most savvy observers of young users to help the service recruit more young people and compete with TikTok.
By Taylor LorenzMarch 8, 2022Estée Lauder exec ousted after posting racist covid-19 meme featuring ‘Sesame Street’ characters
Senior Estée Lauder executive John Demsey was told to leave the company over a meme he posted on Instagram that used the n-word in a joke about "Sesame Street's" Snuffleupagus contracting the coronavirus.
By Lindsey BeverMarch 1, 2022Ukrainian agency, urging removal of road signs, posts fake photo with a colorful message for Russia
The photo of the blue road sign, which tells Russian forces how Ukrainians feel about the invasion in three different ways, is an illustrative joke from Ukravtodor, the government agency for the national road system, during a heavy moment in Ukraine’s history.
By Timothy BellaFebruary 26, 2022Meet the ‘Crocodile of Wall Street’ rapper accused of laundering billions of dollars in crypto
Heather Morgan has two distinct personas: one as a successful tech entrepreneur and another as Razzlekhan, the self-proclaimed “Crocodile of Wall Street” who raps about investing in meme stocks and getting high in a cemetery.
By María Luisa PaúlFebruary 13, 2022Pam and Tommy, sex tape pioneers, changed the Internet forever. They didn’t ask for it.
What began as a disgruntled electrician stealing a safe turned into an infamous ’90s soap opera of Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee that spanned far beyond sex and rock-and-roll — and became “the greatest love story ever sold.”
By Timothy BellaJanuary 30, 2022Couch Guy to West Elm Caleb: Inside the making of a TikTok ‘villain’
What began as a way for young women to share their qualms with West Elm Caleb — or any other not-so-kind date — muddled the line between support and ridicule, with hordes of commenters and content creators jumping on board.
By María Luisa PaúlJanuary 23, 2022A professor said her students think Americans make six figures on average. That’s a long way off.
The answers some of Nina Strohminger's business students at the University of Pennsylvania provided give insight into how people understand the world around them, experts said.
By Timothy BellaJanuary 20, 2022A Canadian politician’s photo of his wife shoveling snow sparked outrage. She says: ‘I just wanted to.’
Cynthia Reyes said, “This tweet probably would not have gone viral if the gender roles were reversed.”
By Adela SulimanJanuary 11, 2022Betty White’s fans feared her death for years. But the ‘Golden Girls’ actress wasn’t afraid of dying.
The Internet was flooded with tributes to White — from actress Carol Burnett and actor Ryan Reynolds to President Biden, who called her “a cultural icon.”
By Timothy BellaJanuary 1, 2022A Hertz customer’s Thanksgiving reservation gone awry was every car-rental nightmare wrapped up in one
Kate Klonick, a St. John’s University law professor, recounted her horrific customer-service experience in a viral Twitter thread that has captured the frustration felt by many holiday travelers during a stressful and expensive time of year.
By Timothy BellaDecember 1, 2021‘Vax’ is Oxford’s word of the year, as pandemic’s ‘Fauci ouchie’ and ‘inoculati’ enter the lexicon
The coronavirus's influence on language — and now vaccine availability — spawned terms such as “vaxxident,” “anti-faxxer,” "vaxinista” and "vaxxies."
By Andrew JeongNovember 2, 2021Noodle, an Internet-famous pug, sets the vibe for the day. Here’s why we love him.
Does Noodle the pug have bones today?
By Kari SondeOctober 28, 2021Memes have helped Americans cope with stress during the pandemic, study finds
The study is a small but notable bright spot amid research highlighting the negative mental health effects of doomscrolling and the role of social media in spreading misinformation about the pandemic.
By Derek Hawkins and María Luisa PaúlOctober 21, 2021Ndakasi, beloved mountain gorilla whose photobomb led to global fame, dies in caretaker’s arms
Virunga National Park said in a statement that Ndakasi died on Sept. 26 after battling a prolonged illness and “took her final breath in the loving arms of her caretaker and lifelong friend, Andre Bauma.”
By Timothy BellaOctober 7, 2021Finally impressed? NFT of side-eyeing toddler meme fetches over $74,000 in cryptocurrency.
The look Chloe gave the camera in the now-famous 2013 video made Internet-users around the world say “same.”
By Caroline AndersSeptember 25, 2021FBI searches the home of Gabby Petito’s fiance, Brian Laundrie
Laundrie’s parents were seen by local news crews being escorted out of their home briefly. Police have been scouring south Florida for Laundrie, who vanished last week after refusing to help find his fiancee.
By Kim Bellware and Lateshia BeachumSeptember 20, 2021Students are destroying bathrooms, swiping school supplies in latest TikTok challenge gone awry
Students eager to rack up likes and follows on TikTok could also end up with disciplinary records and even felonies, school administrators are warning.
By Kim BellwareSeptember 17, 2021Influencers are failing to break out in TV and movies. Can Charli D’Amelio and Addison Rae beat the curse?
Charli D'Amelio has a new show, and Addison Rae just released her film debut.
By Travis M. AndrewsSeptember 2, 2021Joe Rogan has covid-19, is taking unproven deworming medicine
Joe Rogan, who said he is doing well as of Wednesday, has used his popular podcast to question vaccines.
By Elahe Izadi and Emily YahrSeptember 1, 2021